Already got the itch to buy another AR...

This is a discussion on Already got the itch to buy another AR... within the Defensive Rifles & Shotgun Discussion forums, part of the Related Topics category; I did read Johns link. I was interesting. Seems like a lot of their business decisions get some flack. Can't say that I disagree with ...

"A heavily armed citizenry is not about overthrowing the government; it is about preventing the government from overthrowing liberty. A people stripped of their right of self defense is defenseless against their own government." -source

I'm confused on how Spike's Tactical is "settling". Excuse my ignorance, as I don't have first hand knowledge on the different AR manufacturers. But based off of the New M4 comparison chart, the only difference between Spikes and Colt are the buffers, which are easily changed.

Plenty of people use the carbine length gas system, even people who are "serious", it just isn't optimal for the 16" carbine barrels required to keep the rifles out of the prevue of the NFA. The carbine gas system is optimized for the 14.5" barrel, not the 16" one. That said, while I have a mid-length rifle, I don't see it as any "better" than my Colt LE6920. I wish the 6920 had a 14.5" barrel rather than a 16" one, but that is for handiness rather than anything else. A 6921 would be an option, but I don't want to go NFA and not also go shorter than 14.5". I think one of my next builds is going to be a 14.5" with a pinned flash hider to keep me in title I status and have a slightly shorter OAL, plus the optimum length for the carbine gas system. The M4, after all, is a carbine gas gun, and there are probably more "serious shooters" (read: for real) using it than anything else AR/M16 related.

Remember too, the majority of the Marine Corps are still fielding rifle length gas systems in M16A4's. Just in my circles, since retirement from the USA, almost everybody I compete with and meet these day's runs a mid length gas system with a low pro gas block and longer rail systems over the 16" barrel. YMMV.

The only thing from Spikes Tactical that even holds a bit of interest is the ST SBR Compressor. However, I wouldn't pony up that kind of money unless I got to T&E the thing a bit to hear the sound attenuation and it's reliability. I like the idea of an intregal suppressor, but I'm more interested in seeing the technology from the bones up.